Asm. Greg Myhre

Maddy summaryAJR 191 designates February 12th each year as "Carly Day" in New Jersey to raise awareness about congenital heart defects. The resolution honors Carly Fetzer, a Bayville resident born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who lived 18 years after multiple surgeries, and recognizes her family's foundation supporting congenital heart defect research and families. It aligns with National Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week (February 7-14) and requests the Governor issue an annual proclamation, though it does not create new policies or funding. The bill serves as a symbolic annual reminder of the impact of congenital heart defects on New Jersey residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Governor, with input from the Education Commissioner, to take steps protecting the state's educational authority from federal interference. Key provisions mandate challenging federal actions that limit state education control, challenging the Supreme Court's *Plyler v. Doe* decision (which prohibits denying public education funding to undocumented children) when possible, and supporting local efforts to preserve resources for U.S. citizens. It directly affects how New Jersey engages with federal education policies and could influence access to public education for undocumented students. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New Jersey's disability parking program to include individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia who have limited, impaired, or unsafe walking ability. It adds this condition to the existing definition of "person with a disability" for parking privileges, requiring certification from a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. Eligible individuals and their caregivers can then obtain the standard disability placard or license plates displaying the wheelchair symbol. This change allows them to use reserved parking spaces without altering current requirements for obtaining the placard or plates.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill (A4773) requires the Secretary of State to adjust census data used for redistricting by excluding undocumented immigrants from population counts. It directs the Secretary to develop an accurate legal resident count using datasets like Census citizenship data and New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission records. The adjusted data would then determine boundaries for congressional, state legislative, county, municipal, and school districts. This change aims to ensure districts reflect the population of legal residents only, rather than including undocumented immigrants in apportionment calculations.

Maddy summaryBill A4771 requires individuals and businesses receiving New Jersey state benefits - including contracts, loans, tax breaks, grants, or licenses - to certify that they are authorized to be in the U.S. under federal law. It directly affects anyone seeking state financial assistance or privileges, including employers who must verify employees' work eligibility. The bill mandates the Department of Labor to create a standard certification form requiring this verification, with penalties only for knowingly false statements. State agencies must incorporate this form into existing application processes rather than creating a new system. The policy aims to ensure state benefits are reserved for those legally permitted to reside or work in the U.S.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Secretary of State to adjust census data used for redistricting by excluding noncitizens. The adjusted population - without noncitizens - would become the basis for drawing state legislative districts, county districts, and municipal wards. The Secretary must make this adjustment using data from the Census Bureau and state law. As a result, voting districts would be created using a population count that excludes noncitizens, affecting how representation is structured in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's "Design Professional Self-Certification Act" (A4360, now law as P.L.2024, c.58) creates a program allowing licensed architects and professional engineers to self-certify that certain construction projects comply with building codes. It directly affects qualified design professionals who can now submit construction permit applications with self-certification forms for eligible projects (like renovations under specific size limits for residential or commercial buildings), bypassing full code reviews by local agencies. Local building departments must then conduct a simple "supervisory check" to confirm all required documents are present and issue permits - same as before - within 1-5 days. This applies only to projects not excluded (e.g., structural alterations requiring special inspections, new kitchens, or electrical upgrades over 400 amps), with the Department of Community Affairs setting qualification rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey to provide volunteer firefighters with free, periodic cancer screenings every three years, starting three years after they begin volunteering. The screenings cover 11 specific cancers (including colon, lung, breast, and prostate) and must be administered by physicians in the State Health Benefits Program network. The state will reimburse providers up to $1,250 per firefighter every three years, with no out-of-pocket costs for the firefighters. Fire districts must maintain records to support reimbursement claims, extending existing paid firefighter benefits to volunteer firefighters.

Maddy summaryThis New Jersey bill increases the resource thresholds for certain Medicaid eligibility groups, including seniors, disabled individuals, and those eligible for nursing home or home-based services. It sets new limits at $40,000 for one-person households, $60,000 for two-person households, and $20,000 more per additional person for larger households. These changes apply to Medicaid pathways that currently have resource limits, such as the Medically Needy pathway, Medicare Savings Programs, and nursing home services. The bill aims to align these resource requirements more closely with the MAGI eligibility group, which does not have a resource test for individuals under 65 without disabilities. The NJ Workability Program, which already has no resource requirement, is not affected by these changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 4606) removes a prohibition that previously prevented New Jersey state agencies, local governments, and private detention facilities from entering agreements to detain noncitizens for civil immigration violations. It amends existing law to allow these entities to enter, renew, or extend such agreements, which would authorize housing or detaining individuals under immigration enforcement. The bill repeals a prior section that banned these agreements, changing the legal framework from prohibition to permission. This directly affects state/local agencies and private facilities that may choose to contract with federal immigration authorities for detention services. The policy change is limited to permitting agreements that were previously barred, without creating new requirements or mechanisms.